Quiche

Healthiness : (3 votes) Difficulty:Comments: Blind baking the pastry can be a little daunting for newcomers, but is suprisingly easy if you follow the instructions.Preparation Time: 45minsCooking Time: 45minsNumber of servings: 4Serving suggestions: Hot with salad as a tasty lunch or main meal

A traditional quiche with cheese and bacon. Vegetarians can leave out the bacon and add tomatoes or mushrooms.

Ingredients

75g butter (plus extra for greasing)

250g English cheddar (grated)

200g bacon, sliced

5 eggs, beaten

100ml milk

200ml double cream

salt

1 freshly ground black pepper

2 springs of fresh thymes

Equipment

Sieve

Bowl

Dish

Making and cooking it

Always wash your hands before preparing food.

To make the pastry, sift the flour together with a pinch of salt in a large bowl

Rub in the butter until you have a soft breadcrumb texture

Add enough cold water to make the crumb mixture come together to form a firm dough, and then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes

Roll out the pastry on a light floured surface and line a 22cm/8½inch well-buttered flan dish. Don't cut off the edges of the pastry yet. Chill again

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5

Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill it with baking beans

Place on a baking tray and bake blind for 20 minutes

Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for another five minutes to cook the base

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3

Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base and add the sliced tomatoes if you are using them